Despite a $999 price tag, demand for the Xbox Ally X is “exceeding expectations”

With the advent of handheld PCs, such as the Steam Deck, one thing continues to increase: price. If you want good performance on the go, unfortunately, your wallet often has to keep up, and that applies to the ROG Xbox Ally. The recent collaboration between Asus and Microsoft is a spin-off of the already impressive ROG Ally series, with the Xbox Ally X retailing for $999. It’s a high price tag to consider, but despite this barrier, a recent investor call reveals that demand for the console is higher than Asus anticipated.

A lot is happening right now for Microsoft, for better or worse. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is higher in price than ever. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is standing in the shadow of ARC Raiders and Battlefield. Yet, it’s surprising to see the ROG Xbox Ally emerge victorious after months of contention around the console’s existence. Speaking to the increasing demand to produce units of the handheld, Asus’ investor call reveals that “since its launch, we see the market response for it has been extremely positive, particularly, there has been an appetite for the premium higher-end models, exceeding our expectations.”

Seemingly addressing the Xbox Ally X in particular, Asus adds that “these high-end variants are currently in short supply. We are working closely with key component suppliers to ramp up production and fill the demand gap that exists. Our goal with the ROG Ally is for it to remain a core pillar within the Asus gaming portfolio.” At launch, supply for the Xbox Ally was steady, although several retailers were slower to stock it than others. That includes high-street stores such as Curry’s in the United Kingdom, which initially carried the lower-spec model.

In the run-up to the holiday season, it’ll be another question whether Microsoft and Asus can satisfy the need for more units. However, I’ll be curious to see how the console fares in any upcoming sales around Christmas. The Xbox Ally price isn’t exactly cheap, one of the factors I take into consideration in my ROG Xbox Ally X review. I’m a huge advocate of the Ally Z1e, having purchased it for around $450/£450 during a discounted period. Either way, Microsoft’s attitude to PC centric gaming is affecting its plans for new hardware.

Xbox’s Sarah Bond is already commenting on this, suggesting that the Steam Deck and ROG Xbox Ally are influencing the next Xbox console. Meanwhile, Valve is shifting toward the home console experience, rather than making a Steam Deck, with the upcoming release of the Steam Machine.

On the news of the console’s reveal, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer says on social media that “expanding access across PC, console, and handheld devices reflects a future built on choice, core values that have guided Xbox’s vision from the start. As one of the largest publishers on Steam, we welcome new options for players to access games everywhere.”

What do you think? Is the Xbox Ally worth the hype? You can let us know on the Pocket Tactics Discord server.